seller etiquette
I have been reading here for a decade, first recent post under my newly found login.
I have contacted a seller about a subwoofer for a fair price. I asked if local pickup was an option. I got a response that it was. I wrote him that I would drive up, from 2 hours away, in 3 days. I told him I don't want to disturb him by plugging it in, I would just pay and pick it up, as I'd trust his word that it works. I was ok paying full price.
I then yesterday afternoon got an email that I needed to pay asap or he'd sell it to someone else as he got another offer. I didn't read the email until this morning when it had already been sold.
Is this normal? Fair? How could I have avoided it? Should have offered to pay in advance? Should he had been waiting for my response and payment for a little longer?
Interesting angle. So I would send nearly a $1000 to a stranger WITH ZERO guarantees because I must TRUST the seller. But the seller has all the reasons in the world to NOT trust me that I will come at the agreed time and date with cash in hand. Seems like a very biased, one-sided view. |
@parkergetdean - absolutely yes, it happens all the time on Audiogon and USAM. You should by all means do whatever due diligence makes you comfortable like checking feedback, assessing your communications with the seller, speaking on the phone is helpful (can’t do this under A’gon rules), looking at the pictures in the advertisement, and whatever else you need and, then when you are comfortable, send your payment. Over the years, I have paid for, and been paid for, hundreds of audio items before the items were shipped. That is mostly how it works. |
@hilde45 , +1.
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I can empathize with the OP since I’ve been in a similar position, but to answer your question OP, I would bet that if you had responded by email within that 13 hours, the sub would still be available to you. Not your fault, but this is what happens to sellers who have experienced quite a bit of tire kicking or lack of follow through from potential buyers in the past. I presume that email from the seller was indirectly looking for additional assurances in your level of commitment.
Unsure how else it would work with these transactions on Audiogon and USAM. Maybe I’m misinterpreting, but I wouldn’t expect a seller to send me anything until I had paid in full. If meeting in-person, and as a seller, I would request at least a deposit. But that’s me and my experience of being stood up from at least three different potential buyers throughout the years. |
